Electric hand lantern



G. w. YOUNKMAN ET AL 2, 10

ELECTRIC HAND LANTERN Jan. 5, 1937.

Filed March 23, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l FIG.1.

INVENTORS cfomfm roam/rm Jan. 5, 1937.

G. W. YOUNKMAN ET AL ELECTRI C HAND LANTERN 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 25, 1935 mmn in mm nu INVE T R GEORGE m yo vfim fioyL m/PL/w BY ORNEY- Patented Jan. 5, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC HAND LANTERN poration of Delaware Application March 23, 1933, Serial No. 662,214

2 Claims.

This invention relates to electric hand lanterns and more particularly to hand lanterns of the kind having a bail sufficiently large to permit, say, the passage of the users arm therethrough as a convenience in carrying the lantern.

The electric hand lantern of this invention has particular applicability to use on railroads both as a lightsource to illuminate a given area within which work or a manual manipulation is to be performed but also as a light source for use in signalling. On railroads, at the present time, the hand lanterns used by the trainmen, for instance, are oil burning for the reason that there is only one type of lantern which is universal in that it meets all the requirements of railroad use. For instance, when a brakeman steps in between two coupled freight cars to inspect the coupling or the steam lines, he requires both hands free for the performance of the necessary manipulations. The light source must, therefore, be supported from his body. A light ray projected' in a single direction is not sufficient, however, since the ground must also be illuminated whereby the rails and ties are clearly seen and a stumble avoided. It is also necessary that the brakemans position be indicated to the conductor or engineer of the train in order to avoid a sudden starting of the train While the brakeman is in a dangerous position. A brakeman operates from the right hand side of the train, the conductors proper position is on the right hand side of the train and the engineers seat is at-the right of the engineers cab. A further requisite is, therefore, although the user of the lantern is facing inwardly between two cars, that the illumination shall extend toward hisrear and. be visible to the engineer or conductor along the right hand side of the train. Signals are furthermore transmitted between the various members of the train crew by portable sources of light. A lantern is swung in an arc, through a complete circle or reciprocated vertically in a straight line to convey definite meanings. It is, therefore, also necessary to provide-a light source visible as a point of light (practically) from all directions so that, during the movement of the lantern in giving any of the standardized signals, the light will at all timesbe visible, during the complete movement, to the recipient of the signal. No electric hand lantern heretofore known meets all of the requirements aforementioned.

The present invention has for its objects an electric hand lantern, suitable for railroad work, which may be carried on the arm of the user; of which: the light source is visible from all directions and the light rays therefrom are free to travel in substantially all directions.

Railroad lanterns are used in all weathers and under dusty, dirty and sooty conditions and another object of the invention is a light source of the character described which is protected against the accumulation of dirt and dust and whereof the transparent protective element thereof can be readily cleaned, as by wiping ofi snow or soot with the hand.

A lantern hung on the arm of a brakeman clambering around a freight train is subject to considerable abuse and still another object of the invention is, therefore, an electric hand lantern which is rugged and so designed as to prevent the transmission of shock to the filament of the incandescent lamp.

Through the years, railroad lanterns of the oil burning type have become standardized and embody all of the requisite features. A further object of the invention is, therefore, to incorporate an incandescent lamp and a source of electricity in a construction which railroad men have become accustomed to use and care for.

All railroads are fully equipped with oil burning lanterns of an accepted type and, in one of its aspects. the invention also has to do with an adaptable construction whereby the standard oil burning lanterns may be converted into electric hand lanterns.

One of the chief objections of railroad executives, in the past, to electric hand lanterns is the fact that so-called flashlight dry cells have been interchangeable in all flashlights and, therefore, dry cells purchased by the railroads and intended for the lanterns used in railroad work would find their way into the personal flashlights of the employees or be sold to receivers of stolen goods, who would be able to find a ready market for them. Yet another object of the invention is, therefore, a hand lantern which requires a battery of an unusual shape incapable of use in other flashlights, and the battery therefor.

The invention also seeks a circuit closer for an electric railroad hand lantern which is durable, simple to manufacture and operate and which, in addition, preferably, has the appearance of and is actuated similarly to the wick advancing means of oil burning lanterns now in use on railroads.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an electric hand lantern having means to support a spare lamp.

These and other objects of the invention and the means for their attainment will be more apparent from the followin detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating various embodiments by which the invention, in its several aspects, may be realized and in which:

Figure 1 is a view, in side elevation and partly in section, showing the electric hand lantern of this invention;

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view showing the battery and circuit closure, taken in the plane indicated by the line 2-2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 is a tin erse sectional View showing the lantern contacts by which electrical connection is made with the battery and irrespective of its position, taken in the plane indicated by the line 3-3 of Figure looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view showing the circuit closure in open circuit position;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 but with the parts in closed circuit position;

Figure 6 is a top view of the battery with the top insulation removed to show the cells and in terconnections.

Referring first to Figure l, the electric hand lantern of this invention is there shown as comprising a cylindrical container i for the battery l5, which container is supported within a flaring base on which the lantern may stand as a support. Conveniently, the container 52 is cup shaped and is fitted within the open upper end of the base, on the edge of which it rests, as by the bead rolled in the cup. The upper end of the cup 54 open and is closed by a substantially conical closure member which carries at its apex within an aperture the lamp socket 2i for a lamp 22 and the contacts for connection with the battery. Closure 29 has its lower edge 24 bent outwardly in a horizontal plane, as at 23, and again upwardly, as at 24, to form an inverted channel shaped support for a chimney like glass globe 26 protecting the incandescent lamp and th sloping reflecting surfaces 20 of the closure.

, Around the edge of the base i6 is secured an annular band 23 from which extends upwardly spaced and curved protecting members 30, diametrically opposite ones of which are bent outwardly as eyes for a bail 32. The bail is of large diameter so that a persons arm may be passed therethrough. The upright members 30 are spaced and strengthened by annular frame members 3-3 and 3d, on the latter of which, 34, a cap member 36 is reinovably or hingedly mounted. This cap member is formed centrally with an inverted cup shaped portion 38 within which the upper and open end of the globe 26 extends and is centered by an annular guide member 46, secured to the cap 35, whereof the aperture is of a diameter, preferably, slightly in excess of that of the end of the globe, for convenience in insertion and removal. The globe 2B is held against displacement on the seat 23 by a disc-like bearing member '2 of a diameter to be loosely received within the cup shaped part 38 for reciprocation therein and having a downwardly depressed circular portion 44 adapted to fit loosely within the open end of the globe 26 to center it. Preferably the bottom of the guide 4244 is concave or dish shaped, as at 43, so that the cup receives and centers one end of a coil spring 46 normally urging the guide downwardly for yielding engagement with the end of the globe 26.

The guide member EE- l4 serves, conveniently,

as a support for a spare lamp 48 since it is readily accessible by opening the cap 36 while at the same time protecting the spare lamp against dirt. As shown, the bottom 43 is apertured centrally and a socket 49 is secured in the aperture so that the lamp base extends within the spring axially thereof and the mounting is such that shook which would rupture the filament is, in great measure, avoided.

By the construction described, the source of light 22 is open to View from practically every direction, the cap 36 obstructing only a very small cone of light and by reason of the conical reflecting surface 20, only a very small cone of light is obstructed by the bottom.

As shown in Figures 2 and 6, the battery [5 is generally triangular in cross-section comprised of three dry cells 50 whereof the positive terminals of two are electrically connected in series with the negative terminals of adjacent cells by conductors 5|. The cells are insulated from one another by non-conductive partitions 56 as of paper. The negative terminal of the first cell of the series carries a resilient contact 52 and the positive terminal of the last cell of the series carries a similar resilient contact 53. The three cells are enclosed within a three sided container 54 and the top is sealed with suitable plastic composition 55 through which the contacts 52 and 53 extend.

The battery contact terminals 52 and 53 are so disposed as to wipe over cooperating contacts electrically connected with the terminals of lamp 22. As seen in Figures 1 and 3, a disc 58 of a non-conductive material, say, fibre, is disposed above the edge of the container [4, say, upon brackets 59 secured to the interior oi the inverted conical combined lamp support and cover 20. On the lower face of this disc 58 is centrally a noninetallic disc secured, as by an eyelet 60 to the disc. This eyelet may also secure a spring contact member 6| to the supporting disc 58 and serve as a contact to thereby electrically connect both battery contact 53 and lamp contact 6i. The upper end of contact 6| is disposed for engagement with the central terminal of the lamp 22. At the periphery of the disc 58 is an annular contact member 62 secured, as by eyelets, to the lower face of the disc. The negative terminal contact 52 of the battery is adapted to engage this annular contact. Although the battery 15 is irregular in cross-section and may assume any one of several positions in the container M, by virtue of the central and concentric contacts 60 and 62, electrical connection between the battery terminals and the contacts of the supporting disc is always assured.

The base of lamp 22 is grounded on the cover member 20 as will be understood and circuit closing means is also grounded so that upon suitable connection with the annular contact 62, the circuit through the lamp may be closed and the filament rendered incandescent. As shown in Figures l, 2, 4 and 5, a bracket or supporting frame member 65 is secured at spaced points to the inner wall of the cup l4. Two spaced arms 66 extend outwardly from this plate 65 and carry at their outer ends another plate 61. The shaft 68 of a switch handle 69 is journalled in these two plates 65 and 61 and passes outwardly through a suitable aperture in the wall of cup l4.

One of the arms 66 also carries a resilient contact arm 10 which is curved over the shaft 68 and at its free end is bent upwardly and over as a contact member ll. Normally the shape of the contact arm 10, 'H is such that the contact H is spaced from the annular contact 62 on the supporting disc, as shown in Figure 4. A suitable cam is mounted on the shaft 68 which is out of contact with the switch contact element when the handle is in oif position, as shown in Figure 4, in full lines, but is engaged with and elevates the element 10 when the handle is in the on position shown in Figure 5 in dotted lines. In this position, the contact plate "H is deflected upwardly into contact with the annular contact plate and since the contact element H is grounded on the cup M by reason of the conductive nature of the parts 61, 65 and I4 and since the cup I4 is in contact with the conductive cover 20, closing of the switch will complete the circuit and illuminate the lantern.

With this electric hand lantern, the battery is readily replaced by swinging back the top 36, removing the glass 26 and, if desired, lifting out bodily, the battery container l4 and lamp support 26 as a unit. Or the lamp support can be taken off the cup 14 in situ to permit the insertion of a fresh battery. The battery, being triangular (substantially) in cross-section, it may be inserted in any position so long as one flat side is parallel to (and in substantial contact with) the plate 67. Thereby is the battery positioned in the cup and as the contacts on the supporting disc 58 are universal in their application, no matter what the position of the contacts 52 and 53, they will make electrical connection with the cooperating contacts 60 and 62.

It will thus be seen that an electric hand lantern has been provided which embodies all of the features desirable for railroad work and, furthermore, is equally applicable wherever a hand lantern is required.

Various modifications will occur to those skilled in the art in the configuration and disposition of the component elements going to make up the invention as a whole, as well as in the substitution of equivalent elements therefor and in the independent use of features contributing to the lantern as a whole and no limitation is intended by the phraseology of the'foregoing specification or illustrations in the accompanying drawings, except as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:-

1. In an electric hand lantern having a base formed axially with an opening in its top, a cap for a transparent envelope and means to support the cap from the base, the combination of a cup shaped battery container supported in the opening in the base, a frustoconical top for the container formed with a channel shaped rim for the transparent envelope, a lamp socket at the apex of the top, a disc like support of non-conductive material secured within the top, an annular contact secured to the bottom of the support for contact with a battery terminal, a contact centrally of the support for contact with the other battery terminal, a lamp engaging contact in electrical connection with said central contact, a resilient contact finger movable into engagement with the annular contact, a cam, means to move the cam into contact with the resilient contact finger to deflect it into contact with the annular contact and electrically conductive means between the other terminal of the lamp and the contact finger.

2. In an electric hand lantern having a base formed axially with an opening in its top, a cap for a transparent envelope and means to support the cap from the base, the combination of a cup shaped battery container formed with a bead and supported by the bead in the opening in the base, a frustoconical top for the container of conductive material formed with a channel shaped rim for the transparent envelope, a lamp socket at the apex of the top and in electrical connection therewith, a disc like support of non-conductive material secured within the top, an annular contact secured to the bottom of the support for contact with a battery terminal, a contact centrally of the support for contact with the other battery terminal, a lamp engaging contact in electrical connection with said central contact, a resilient contact finger in electrical connection with the top and movable into engagement with the annular contact, a cam and means to move the cam into contact with the resilient contact finger to deflect it into contact with the annular contact.

GEORGE W. YOUNKMAN. ROY L. DARLING. 

